StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Bonsai Tree in Japan Culture - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
"Bonsai Tree in Japan Culture" paper focuses on bonsai, a product of a variety of techniques that lets a full-grown tree thrive in a small container. The tree looks like a miniature version of how the tree species looks in nature, only with artistic additions that make it seem more poetic…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.4% of users find it useful
Bonsai Tree in Japan Culture
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Bonsai Tree in Japan Culture"

Download file to see previous pages

While a bonsai needs the same ingredients as other trees and plants, like land, fertilizers, water, and sunlight, it is the way these are administered to the bonsai that makes it a special form of horticulture. All these essential requirements are provided to make the bonsai tree take exactly the desired shape and size, leading experts to comment that bonsais are more art than horticulture.

They could be kept indoors or outdoors depending on the tree species, but it is the shape of a bonsai tree that determines the type to which it belongs. Bonsais are traditionally created in the following different shapes: Cascade-full (Kengai): In this type of bonsai, the branches as well as the trunk of the tree are deliberately swept over to a particular side of the container and allowed to hang below the roots. It is designed to look like a tree growing at the edge of a cliff, buffeted by strong winds.

Clump (Kadudachi). In this variation of the bonsai, several trunks are emerging from the same point in the clump of roots, giving it a look of overcrowded natural growth that can be found in forests. Informal uprighFormal upright (Chokkan). This is a rigidly classical bonsai, usually with a very linear and upright trunk. The branches spread out in a balanced way to take on a triangular form. Group / Forest (Yose-ue). This is where several bonsais are naturalistically planted and maneuvered on a container, to give the impression of a wood or forest.

Informal upright (Moyogi). In this form of bonsai, the trunk makes its twisty way through the branches, remaining balanced in form all the time. Like the Chokkan, the Moyogi also has a triangular overall formation. Literati (Bunjingi). This bonsai mimics a tree of mature age, with no branches in the lower two-thirds of its trunk. Raft (Ikadabuki). For this bonsai, the tree is laid flat, and its branches are placed in a sort of group formation pointing vertically. Root over rock (Sekijoju). This bonsai has prominent roots which are maneuvered into place to flow over the central rock and then into the container itself.

Slanting (Shakan). This particular bonsai is a variation of the Chokkan, where the tree is bent in one direction as if seeking light or swayed by the force of the wind. Twin trunk (Sojo). As the name suggests, this bonsai has two trunks that combine at the base, near the container. All these types of bonsais are fascinating to true enthusiasts. Though the practice of bonsai originated in China, it was Japan that refined it, and some of the most exclusive owners and patrons of bonsai are found there.

Some bonsais may have prices running into thousands and millions of dollars, because of their age, history, beauty, and exclusivity. They are held in reverence in Japan. But prices differ depending on the keeper, the age, the look, and the demand. Most bonsais in the United States are much more affordable, and anyone can start a bonsai hobby with minimal investment by collecting the tree from nature.  

From fifty dollars to a few hundred, affordable bonsais can be easily found. The more exclusive varieties start from thousand dollars and above. But the real charm of bonsais lies not only in its artistic value but also in its longevity. Some species of long-living trees like junipers, pines, and elms do very well as bonsais, and Japan has quite a few prestigious bonsais which are hundreds of years old. This means that bonsais can be passed from one generation to another--- to be loved, cherished, and preserved as living heirlooms for families to inherit.

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Bonsai Tree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529790-bonsai-tree
(Bonsai Tree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529790-bonsai-tree.
“Bonsai Tree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529790-bonsai-tree.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Bonsai Tree in Japan Culture

Images of Japan Within and Without

Archeological research shows that people lived in japan from the early Paleolithic period.... Archeological research shows that people lived in japan from the early Paleolithic period.... The other area of interest is the nationalism of Japan together with key aspects of change in the country; home and family in japan's continuity and transformation.... Although there were several information limitations, Kaempfer formed the most popular western image in japan (Clavell, 1998)....
7 Pages (1750 words) Term Paper

Cultural Context: Landscape

apanese gardens are closely intertwined with the architectural designs of Chinese gardens in that they were patterned after the Chinese influences (Nitschke 1990), but through time, Japanese builders started to establish their individual artistry, which is derived from Japanese resources and culture....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Analyzing a Japan-related website

Scrolling down, each theme is presented by a one sentence teaser that is intended to get you to click on the image to discover more about what is offered in japan for each theme.... he net surfer that would happen upon or seek out this website would come away from the experience with some very specific ideas about what to expect in japan.... The accuracy of these ideas can be called into question based on whether or not you feel that they are portraying a stereotype attached to Japanese culture or individuals....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Discovering Foreign Culture: Portfolio of Childcare Programming

Choosing four different nations allowed for the development of a program that could utilize a range of previous knowledge that could be used for the purpose of educating them about culture while providing for crafts, movement, and activities along with a snack calendar that supported the themes.... Each day the students would learn something about the food culture of the nation that was being explored during that week as well as an overview of the culture of that nation....
8 Pages (2000 words) Assignment

Comparison in Cultures of Australia and Japan

This report "Comparison in Cultures of Australia and Japan" presents Japan as a country with affluent history and culture.... Student exchange to japan, hence, provides a vital learning experience to Australian students as they get a chance to learn a wholly diverse lifestyle.... Similarly, in order to avail this auspicious chance completely, the Land of the Rising Sun, japan, is a promising destination.... eing the world's third-largest economy and the chief technological hub of today (CIA Fact Book, 2010), japan possesses a history of proud Samurais and an aesthetic civilization that dates back to 3000 B....
5 Pages (1250 words) Report

Images of Japan Within and Without

The other area of interest is the nationalism of Japan together with key aspects of change in the country; home and family in japan's continuity and transformation.... Although there were several information limitations, Kaempfer formed the most popular western image in japan (Clavell, 1998).... This work called "Images of japan Within and Without" describes japan and Japanese images in the western world.... The author outlines how japan has been seen by the outside world - western images and western myths....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

The Cultural Implications of Chinese and Japanese Gardens

Japanese gardens are closely intertwined with the architectural designs of Chinese gardens in that they were patterned after the Chinese influences (Nitschke 1990), but through time, Japanese builders started to establish their individual artistry, which is derived from Japanese resources and culture....
8 Pages (2000 words) Coursework

Miniaturization and Spatial Design

Miniaturization enabled mass production of electronic products and revolutionized the semiconductor industry.... The application of technology and its relevance to interior design, spatial design and furniture are discussed in this paper, Miniaturization and Spatial Design.... ... ... ... According to the paper, miniaturization in lighting and furniture paved way for mass production and standardization, and the companies like IKEA market mini chairs and other mini furniture items....
19 Pages (4750 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us